The shortest movies from the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) highlight an interesting trend for the popular superhero franchise. Today, it’s not uncommon for superhero movies to frequently land somewhere between the two and three-hour marks. This is a notable difference compared to typical feature films, which tend to be roughly 90 minutes or so.
However, when looking at the shortest movies in the MCU lineup, it’s clear to see that these shorter superhero stories struggle in one specific way that doesn’t tend to be an issue for the longer films. And considering their fantasy roots, it makes a lot of sense.
The MCU’s 3 Shortest Movies Confirm The Challenge Of A Smaller Runtime
As mentioned above, superhero movies tend to exceed the standard runtimes by a lot. In fact, the shortest movies from the MCU still clock in at nearly two whole hours. With The Marvels being the shortest at one hour and 45 minutes.
Meanwhile, both The Incredible Hulk and Thor: The Dark World inched closer to the two-hour mark with both releases having a total runtime of one hour and 52 minutes each. However, each of these titles has proven to be much more divisive than most releases from the MCU.
Movie
Runtime
Rotten Tomatoes Critics Score
Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score
The Marvels
1 hour 45 minutes
63%
79%
The Incredible Hulk
1 hour 52 minutes
68%
69%
Thor: The Dark World
1 hour 52 minutes
67%
74%
Unfortunately, this could be down to the shorter runtime, as the movies are forced to rush to an ending, while trying to neatly tie up the narrative. And this rushed setting can lead to fans applying their own context, either improving the film, or detracting from it.
While each of the above movies has suffered through a vocal negative outcry during their release, each of these movies also has a dedicated fanbase. There are people who deeply admire these stories, and feel like they beautifully captured the characters.
The MCU’s 3 Shortest Movies Explain Why 2025’s Movies All Followed A Different Trend
Fortunately, Marvel Studios appears to be zeroing in on the sweet spot between making these movies too long, and making them tight enough without taking away from the narrative. This can be seen in the latest movie releases from the MCU throughout 2025.
Captain America: Brave New World was one hour and 58 minutes, while Thunderbolts* was two hours and 6 minutes, and finally, The Fantastic Four: First Steps topped the lot with a runtime of two hours and 10 minutes.
With superheroes, as with fantasy, it’s important to establish a whole other world. And to do this, it takes time. Without time, the results are rushed, and can lead to strong opinions being formed on either side, which isn’t the primary goal of Marvel Studios for the future of the MCU.
